Letters to the editor for Monday, January 28, 2013

Published: Monday, January 28, 2013 at 5:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 3:37 p.m.

Catholic schools help everyone

Communities are judged by the schools they keep. We who live in Volusia County are fortunate to have many wonderful schools — big and small; public and private; urban, suburban and rural. Each adds value to our community and to our quality of life.

In Volusia County, we are blessed to include six Catholic schools among the mix of educational options. During "Catholic Schools Week," these six schools join thousands nationwide to celebrate the special gift they are to our communities and to our country.

The five Catholic elementary schools in Volusia County enroll 1,231 students. Many graduates continue their education at Father Lopez Catholic High School, where 407 students are enrolled. Multiplying the county per pupil cost of $8,756 by the 1,638 students enrolled in the Catholic schools suggests an annual savings to taxpayers of $14.3 million! However, this simplistic approach does not fully measure their real value.

In Catholic schools, parents are recognized and respected as the first teachers of their children. When they invite Catholic educators to become their partners in the educational and spiritual formation of their sons and daughters, parents bestow a sacred trust upon the teachers. In exchange for that trust, Catholic educators offer their commitment to always do their best so their students may always do their best.

As parents weigh options for their children, consider making a Catholic school your school-of-choice. Visit the schools. Talk with parents and teachers. Observe behaviors and interactions of students. Ask the principal about the personal care provided to students as they journey down the twin pathways of educational excellence and faith formation.

Inquire about tuition costs and explore financial assistance programs. Get the facts so you may make an informed decision.

In the end, some may think the cost of a Catholic education too expensive. I tend to believe it is priceless. But then again, so are our children.

MICHAEL J. COURY

Daytona Beach

Coury became president of Father Lopez Catholic High School in August.

Why not a car museum?

Daily news this time of year highlights the fantastic success, long- and short-term, of the excitement and meaningful value of automotive events at the Daytona International Speedway and elsewhere in the state.

Wouldn't it be thoughtful to consider the likely success of a world-class auto museum wrapped in world-class architecture, blessed with location, weather and the (free for the taking) 100-year legacy of the automobile culture awaiting rebirth?

Picture this happening on the gorgeous but dead patch of property on North Beach Street that begs for life beyond condos, houses and one more unneeded mall.

Choice No. 2: The former Ormond Memorial hospital complex.

Any long-term thinkers or dreamers in the neighborhood?

RON BERKHEIMER

Ormond Beach

Mental illness and guns

As Mac Thrower's Jan. 13 column says, we can't resort to a massive round-up of the mentally ill. But how do we find that 1 percent of people with severe mental illness who are dangerous?

Psychic defects are not always easy to diagnose accurately. Stethoscopes, sphygmomanometers, X-rays, MRIs, etc., are no help. I hope we will not become the sort of society that feels obliged to expose people who are suspected of being potential gun maniacs. And would Florida or any state be willing to divert money into mental health treatment under present economic conditions?

Europeans are not less loony-prone than Americans. But they are not awash in weapons, have no NRAs or Second Amendments.

We suffer annually over 11,000 gun related fatalities — murderously, accidentally or suicidally. A typical European nation has less than 1 percent of that number.

HORACE HONE

Palm Coast

Curb gun-toting rights

It is time to stop this unhealthy worship of the Second Amendment, and realize its present interpretation has no place in the 21st century America. Like its cousin the Third Amendment, it's an archaic relic from the past. The Second Amendment's purpose was to allow the states to raise a citizen's army (the militia).

This interpretation was upheld in successive Supreme Court decisions for years until the present court's ruling.

There is nothing sacred or evil about guns. They are dangerous equipment, designed to be used in a careful, responsible way like cars, toxic materials and explosives. All serve a necessary function in our society when regulated and used in a responsible manner. Not to view gun ownership the same way is irresponsible and dangerous.

When Ronald Reagan was faced with the choice of states' rights vs. deaths on the highway, this practical conservative didn't hesitate. He demanded states raise their legal drinking age to 21 or face a cutoff of federal highway funding.

I suggest Obama take a page out of Ronald Reagan's playbook in dealing with the problem of guns. States must do the following or risk losing federal funding for law enforcement:

- Outlaw military-style semiautomatic weapons and clips enabling a gun to fire more than seven rounds.

- All present and future owners of guns must submit to a background check.

All guns must be registered and gun owners must be licensed. No ammunition may be purchased by anyone lacking a gun license, and no concealed-weapon permit may be issued without police verifying the need to carry a weapon.

Let the people decide if their state is to lose millions of dollars in federal aid or change their gun laws. When Reagan gave the states the choice, they changed the drinking law rather than lose the money.

JAMES M. DOUMAS

Port Orange

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